Dusting tool for use with vacuum cleaners



2, 1940- I v c. A. BROCK El AL 2,206,738

DUSTIRG TOOL FOR USE WITH VACUUM CLEANERS Filed Nov. 18, 1938. 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 A TTORNE K 2 y 1940. c. A. BROCK ET L 2,206,738

DUSTING TOOL FOR USE WITH VACUUM CLEANERS Filed Nov. 18, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 NVEN 0R9- 6 6 766 fl rec/g,

. B Jwqri P I dzozan July 2, 1940. c. A. BRQCK ET AL 2,205,738

DUSTING TOOL FOR USE WITH VACUUM CLEANERS Filed Nov. 18, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 zemez zqwrazz y A TTORNE Y5- Patented July 2, 1940 UNITED STATES V azoarss nns'rmc roor. ron use wrrn vacuum CLEANERS Glarence A. Brock, Detroit, and Edward P.

Du Bois, St. Clair Shores, Mich, auignorl .to Bexair, 1110., Detroit, Mich, a corporation of Delaware Application November 1a, 1938, Serial no. 241,082

'1 Claims. 01. 15-158) This invention relates to vacuum cleaner attachments and particularly relates to dusting tools for vacuum cleaners which loosen and remove dust and dirt from ordinarily inaccessible 'places.

One of the primary objects of the present invention is to provide improved brush constructions of the type mentioned which have bristles on the side and front thereof and suction intake 3 openings adjacent the bristles so. that dust may be loosened and removed from inaccessible places.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved brush constructions in which the bris- 5 tles extend around an arch and in which the brushes are of uniform bristle thickness or density throughout.

Another object of the invention isto provide improved and simplified ferrule constructions on brush attachments for securing the attachment to the intake line of a vacuum "cleaner.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved brush construction of the type mentioned in which the air drawn into the attachment may be adjustably controlled; v

Another object of the invention is to provide improved brush constructions which are simple and economical to manufacture.

Other objects of the invention will become 0 apparent from the following specification, the drawings relating. thereto, and from the claims hereinafter set forth.

In the drawings, in which like numerals are used to designate like parts in the several views 5 throughout:

Figure 1 is a broken, side elevational view of a vacuum cleaner having an attachment according to the present invention, shown on an enlarged scale, associated therewith;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged, broken, side elevational view of the brush construction illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view with parts broken away showing parts in cross-section of the structure illustrated in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line 4-40f'Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is an exploded, perspective view of the brush unit removed from the forward end of the tool body;

Fig. 6 is an exploded, perspective view of the brush unit illustrated in Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a modified form 5 O! unit; V

Fig. 8 is an exploded, perspective view of the brush unit shown in Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary, side elevational view with parts removed showing parts in cross-section of a modified form of brush attachment;

Fig. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line ill-Ill of Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is a top plan view with parts in crosssection, taken substantially along the line ll--li of Fig. 9; Y t

Fig. 12 is a' view similar to Fig. 9 illustrating the modified form of the present invention in which the amount of air taken into the tool may be adjustably controlled;

Fig. 13 is a top plan view with parts in crosssection taken substantially along the line i3--l3 of Fig. 12;

Fig. 14 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line "-44 of Fig. 12;

Fig. 15 is a view similar to Fig. 14, illustrating a modified form of brush construction;

Fig. 16 is a side elevational view with parts broken away showing parts in cross-section of a modified form of brush construction;

Fig. 17 is an end elevatlonal view showing parts in. cross-section taken substantially along the line l|--I| of F18. 16;

Fig. 18 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line 18-"! of Fig. 17;

places andremoved by suction through the tube.

The brushes of the present invention are designed particularly for cleaning complicated telephone control mechanisms in which wires and moving parts are located in places ordinarily difficult to reach; but it is to be understood that, while the attachments of the present invention have particular utility in connection with such uses, the brushes have other uses within the scope of the invention. It will, of course be recognized that dust collects on the multitude of small wires in mechanisms of the type mentioned and that dust also accumulates on the relatively attac small moving parts present in such constructions. It is necessary that these mechanisms be kept clean so that they may function properly and the ants of the present invention are particular y adapted for this purpose.

Referring to the drawings and referring particularly to Figs. 1 to 6 thereof, inwhich one embodiment of the present invention is illustrated, a suction and brushing tool is generally indicated at 38 which is adapted to be removably attached to a vacuum cleaner 32 through a flexible conduit 34 having an attaching collar 36. The vacuum cleaner 32 may be of anyof the conventional types of vacuum cleaners; and in the embodiment illustrated, is shown as being of the type disclosed in United States patent to Brock No. 2,102,353, granted December 14, 1937.

The tool 38 comprises an elongated tubular member 38 having a ferrule 48 mounted in embracing relationship to one end thereof which is adapted to be telescopically received within the collar 36. The particular construction-oi the ferrule 48 will be described in detail hereinafter in connection with Figs. 20 and 21.

The tubular member 38 is hollow and is open at its forward end to provide a suction intake opening. The member 38 is preferably flattened slightly in portions 42 and 44 adjacent the forward end. Oppositely disposed, elongated slots 46 and 48 are provided through the member 38 adjacent the forward end thereof, and suction intake openings 58 are provided through the walls of the member 38 along the side edges of slots 46 and 48.

A brushing unit is adapted to be positioned within the tubular member 38 adiacent the forward end'thereof and such unit includes a pair of complementary sections 52 and 54. Each of such sections includes a backing or bristle mounting member 56 which is channel-shaped in cross section and which is turned about an arc, indicated at 51, at the forward end thereof. The bristles forming the brush, which are preferably goat hair. are adapted to be positioned within the channel-shaped mounting members, and are suitably fixed therein. By way of illustration, the bristles are shown as being held in the channel by crimping the walls thereof together. Another way would be to fix the bristles within the channel by a sealing means such as rubber, and other ways will be apparent to those familiar with the art. The bristles are disposed longitudinally of the member 56, as indicated at 58, and also around an arch 68 adjacent the forward end thereof. When the bristles are disposed around an arch, such bristles will thin out so that the thickness or density of the bristles around the arch is less than that over the straight portion. The two sections 52 and 54 are complementary to each other in shape so that when they are assembled, the longitudinally disposed bristles 58 on the respective sections extend in opposite directions from each other, and the bristles on the arches 68 overlie each other so that the resulting brush is of substantially uniform bristle thickness or density throughout.

The sections 52 and 54 are fixed relative to each other by placing the sections in the positions indicated in Fig. 5 and suitably fixed together as by welding the mounting members 56 to opposite sides of a transversely extending mounting plate 62. The mounting member 62 has its edges 64 rolled and reversely bent so as to present curved edges which are adapted to seat within the sharp, rounded corners of the tubular member 88 adjacent the forward end thereof. The adjoining curved sections 51 of the members 66 may also be welded together, ,if desired.

The elements forming the brush unit are shown in their assembled position in Fig. 5 and also in their position for insertion into the forward end of the tubular member 38. The unit is slid within the forward end of the tubular member so that the round edges 64 of the plate member 62 engage the inner walls of the member 38 in the corners, as shown in Fig. 4, with the longitudinally disposed bristles 58 being received within the slots 46 and 48 so that they extend outwardly therebeyond. Those bristles on the arches 68 are disposed within the forward open end of the tubular member 38 and leave suction spaces therearound. The forward end of the tubular member 38 is preferably tapered as indicated at 18 so that the suction intake spaces around the forward bristles are presented toward the sides of the tool and also forwardly thereof. The longitudinally extending bristles 58 do not necessarily fill the slots 46 and 48 so that spaces between the bristles and the edges of the slots also serve as suction intake spaces which keep the brush clean in addition to the suction intake openings 58 provided adjacent these bristles and along the slots.

In Figs. 7 and 8, a modified form of brush unit is illustrated in which the bristles are of substantially uniform thickness or density throughout, but in which the construction is different from that disclosed in Figs. 5 and'6. In this construction, a backing or mounting member 12, which is of channel-section and corresponds to the member 56, has the bristles fixed therein and is then bent into substantially U-shape. The bristles 14 are fixed within the channel of the member 12 completely therearound, and with this construction alone the arched forward end, indicated at 16, is thinned out as the bristles are pulled around the arch. Additional sectors '88 and 88 are adapted to overlie the arched portion 16 so that the resulting structure is of substantially uniform bristle thickness or density throughout. The sectors 18 and 88 may each include metal arched segments 82, of cross-sectional configuration similar to the cross-sectional configuration of the member 12, which holds the l bristles of the sectors 18 and 88 in place. The sectors '48 and 88 may be positioned as shown in Fig. 7, and the segment elements 82 welded to the base of the member 12 in order to fix these sectors in position.

Referring to Figs. 9 to 11,.another embodiment of the invention is illustrated in which the bristles extend around the front and along one side only of the hollow tubular members 38. In this embodiment of the invention only one of the longi- 1 tudinal slots, namely 46, is provided and the slot 48, as in the embodiment above described, is dispensed with. The suction intake openings 58 are provided along each side of the slot 46.

The brushing unit includes a longitudinally 1 extending mounting member 84 which is curved downwardly at the forward end thereof, as indicated at 86, and then bent forwardly, as indicated at 88, to provide a front support for the brush unit. The rear end thereof is bent down- 1 wardly at 98 and then upwardly at 92 to provide a resilient spring means which is adapted to bear against the inner wall of the member 38. The slot 46 is widened adjacent the forward end thereof, as indicated at 94, so that a plurality q of brush elements may be transversely disposed within the enlarged portion 94. A central mounting member 98 is disposed longitudinally of the member 84 from the rear down around. the curved front thereof and is of channel configuration, as in the embodiment described above for mounting bristles 98.

Members 99 similar to members 96 but shorter are provided which are disposed on each side of the member 96 adjacent the forward end thereof and within the enlarged space 94. These members 99 each retain bristle elements IIll which extend around the arch at the forward end thereof within the forwardly facing opening of the tubular member 38. The members 99 and the members 96 may be welded to the top surface of the member 84 and around the arch 86 thereof so that the brush may be mounted as a unit within the tubular member 38.

The forwardly extending portion 88 serves to support the forward end of the brush unit and the resilient leg 98 serves to resiliently support the rear end thereof to mount the brush unit.

The member 94 is wedged up into the opening 46, as indicated in Fig. 10, so that the brush unit is firmly retained in place. The bristles around the arch have suction intake spaces therearound through the forwardly facing opening of the member 38, and the suction intake openings 58 lie adjacent the longitudinally extending bristles so that as the dust is loosened by the bristles it is drawn into the interior of the tube 38.

In Figs. 12, 13 and l l a modified form of the structure illustrated in Figs. 9 to 11 is shown in which means are provided for varying the effective suction intake openings and in which the brush unit is in another form. In this embodiment of the invention a longitudinally extending slot I86 is provided which corresponds to the slot 46 above described but which is wider than slot 46. Suction intake openings 58 are provided through the wall of the member 38 along and adjacent the edges of the slot I88.

The member 84 is also wider than that in the embodiment described above and its edges are turned upwardly as indicated at I88 to serve as retaining walls for the bristles. A longitudinally extending member H8 is provided which is disposed centrally of the member 84 and extends longitudinally thereof and curved down around the 'arch 86 of the member 84. The member II8 has embodiment.

The overlying central portions of the elements 84 and I I8 are provided with suction intake openings II6 therethrough so that the dust between the adjacent brushes may be drawn into the tubular element.

In order to control the effective areas of the openings 58, a closure member H8 is slidably disposed within the tubular member 38. The mem-- ber II8 has a pair of curved arms I28 adjacent the rear end thereof which lie to the rear of the element 84 and slidably bear against the side and bottom wall of the member 38. Forwardly ex:- tending arms I22 areprovided on the member II8, which are disposed on each side of the member 84, underlying each row of openings 68.- The arms I22 have openings I24 therethrough which are adapted to underlie the openings 58 I when the member I8 is in one position. A longitudinally extending slot I28 is provided through the top of the member 88, and a finger button I28 is provided which is attached tothe member Il 8 the openings 68 are either partially or wholly closed.

In Fig. 15 a modified form of the structure illustrated in Fig. 14 is shown in which the openings 68 are dispensed with. In this structure the suction intake openings are still provided in the forwardly opening and of the tubular member 38 but the sole communication through the longitudinal wall thereof is through the openings 6 which are located between the brushes I I4.

In Figs. 16, 17, 18 and 19, another modified form of the present invention is illustrated, in which the forward end of the member 38 is open, but not tapered, and in which a single slot 46 is provided having the adjacent openings 58 arranged along the side edges thereof. The

brushing unit is of a different construction from those described above and includes a bottom plate member I32 which is curved at its sides as indicated at I34 to a configuration complementary to that of the internal configuration of the lower half of the member 38. The curved ends I34 tend to spring outwardly so that they resiliently bear 'against the inner side walls of the member 38 to hold the unit in position. The mounting means for the bristles I38 are provided by cutting through the member I32 along lines I35 and I31 and then folding these portions upwardly to form side walls I38. These side walls I36 with that portion of the member I32 therebetween form a retaining channel similar to the member 96. The sides I36 retain the bristles I38 which extend upwardly throughthe elongated slot 46. Upstanding plate members I39 are positioned on each side of the walls I36 adjacent the forward end of the member I32 and are provided with flanges at the lower ends thereof, which are welded to the member I32 to provide a mounting means for forwardly extending brushes I48. Upstanding channel sections I42 are welded to the plate member I39 and are channel-shaped to retain the bristles of the brushes I 48 therein. 7

Another upstanding channel strip I58 is welded to the forward end of the strip I38 and retains therein a resilient bumper element I52 of suitable resilient material such as sponge rubber. This bumper element I52 extends forwardly of the forward end of the member 38 and serves as a bumper for protecting any objects being cleaned and also protecting the forward end of the tool.

. In Figs. 20 and 21, the construction of the ferrule 48 is illustrated in detail. The rear end of the tubular element 38 is enlarged and suitably tapered, as indicated at I68, and provides a rounded. annular shoulder or rib I82 adjacent the inner edge of the taper. A metal ferrule 48 is reversely bent upon itself; as indicated at I84, to fit over the outer edge of the'element 38 and embraces the tapered portion I68.

rear edge of the ferrule 48 at spaced intervals Longitudi-- nally extending slots I66 are provided along the therearound. The inner edge of the ferrule is annular shoulder or rib I62. with this construction, the ferrulemay be slipped over the tapered end of the member 38 and snapped into position through the engagement of the rolled end I61 over the shoulder I62, while the ferrule may be rotated relative to the tube 38. The taper I60 and the taper of the ferrule are at the proper angle so that a friction fit will be obtained between the ferrule and the'inner wall of the collar 36.

In Fig. 22, a modified and improved manner of attaching the ferrule to the tubular element 38, so that the ferrule may rotate relative to the tube, is illustrated in which a ferrule I10 is shown as embracing the tapered portion I60 of-the tubular element 38 and has a reversely bent portion H2 which forms an annular pocket for the reception of the end of theelement 38. An annular groove I14 is provided in the member 38 adjacent the rear end thereof, and the reversely bent portion I12 is then rolled to form an annular rib I16 which snaps within the groove I14 when the ferrule is applied.

Formal changes may be made in the specific embodiment of the invention described without departing from the spirit and substance of the invention, the scope of which is commensurate with the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. Asuction and brushing tool comprising an elongated tubular member open at its forward end, means forming longitudinally and oppositely disposed slots in said member adjacent the forward end thereof, and a brushing unit disposed withinsaid member, said brushing unit including bristles fixed to a mounting member, said bristles extending longitudinally of said member on opposite sides thereof disposed within and extending through said slots, respectively, and bristles disposed around an arc at the forward end of said mounting means extending through said open end, the brush along the sides and are thereof being of uniform bristle density.

2. A suction and brushingtool comprising an elongated tubular member open at its forward end, means forming a longitudinally extending slot through the wall of said member adjacent its forward end, means forming suction openings through said wall adjacent said slot, a brushing unit removably disposed within said member through the forward end thereof, said unit including bristles extending through said slot, other bristles within said open end leaving suction spaces therearound, and resilient mounting means on said unit resiliently engaging the inner wall of said member.

3. A suction and brushing tool comprising an elongated tubular member open at its forward end, means forming a longitudinally extending slot through the wall of said member adjacent its forward end, means forming suction openings through said wall adjacent said slot, means within said member adjacent said suction openings movable to vary the effective sizethereof, a brushing unit removably disposed Within said member through the forward end thereof, said unit including bristles extending through said slot, and other bristles within said open end leaving suction spaces therearound.

4. A suction and brushing tool comprising an aaoonss elongated tubular member open at its forward end, means forming a longitudinally extending member through the forward end thereof, said unit including bristles extending through said slot, and other bristles within said open end leaving suction spaces therearound.

*5. A suction and brushing tool comprising an elongated tubular member open at its forward end, means forming oppositely disposed longitudinally extending slots through the wall of said member adjacent its forward end, means forming suction openings through said wall ad jacent said slots, a brushing unit mounted within said member adjacent the forward end thereof, said unit having longitudinally disposed, outwardly extending bristles extending through said oppositely disposed slots and having other bristles disposed on an arch around the forward end of said member within said open end, and an additional section of bristles disposed on said arch to provide a brush construction of substantially uniform bristle density throughout.

6. A suction and brushing tool comprising an elongated tubular member open at its forward end, said member being slightly flattened on opposite sides thereof adjacent said forward ends, means forming oppositely disposed longitudinally extending slots through the flattened walls of said members, means forming suction openings through said walls adjacent said slots, a brushing unit removably disposed within said member within the forward end thereof, said unit including a generally U-shaped mounting means,

oppositely extending longitudinally disposed bristles on opposite sides of said mounting means disposed within said slots, other bristles disposed on an arch around the forward end of said mounting means disposed within said open end leaving suction spaces therearound, and a transversely extending plate member fixed to said mounting member and engaging the inner walls of said tubular member to mount the brushing unit therein.

7. A- suction and brush tool comprising an elongated tubular member open at its forward end, forwardly extending bristles disposed within said open end leaving forwardly open suction spaces in said open end adjacent said bristles, other bristles disposed longitudinally of said member adjacent said open end, said other bristles extending outwardly beyond said member, means forming suction openings adjacent said other bristles communicating with the interior of said member, and resilient means disposed within said open end and extending forwardly beyond the end thereof providing a. resilient bumper adjacent said forwardly extending bristles.

- CLARENCE A. BROCK. EDWARD P. DU BOIS. 

